The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1887-07-08
Some of Hermann's Tricks:

In an uptown managers office the
other day a little group OF theatrical
men were talking about the interstate
commerce bill and other cheerful sub.
iects, when q tall. thin, swarthy man,
With o dark curling mustache and i'm
perial, entered. He was received with
a shout OF welcome. "Now for some
entertainment" said one OF those
present, and in very few minutes
the prophecy was fulfilled. The
newcomer was Hermann. a
magician, who contrives to make
things generally lively wherever he
may happen to find himself. After re-
plying spontaneously to q torrent
of questions about his recent Brook
lyn adventure-he was led to police
station and narrowly escaped the
night in a lookup for playing a practical
joke on the occupants OF q street car
~-he said in French English: at was
great fun. boys, though have not
yet seen strictly true account OF it.
1t made itself as thus; ! find myself
In street car with two or three wor.
thy people WHO look as though they
were too sleepy ana need waking up,
] wake them. Instead OF thanking me,
they accuse me to q policeman OF
picking their pockets. The policeman
takes me to the station house with
my sleepy friends. The sergeant
there takes the charge down and asks
me for what you call my pedigree. I
give it to him and am about to be
sent 70 dungeon, when, with all the
politeness at my command, say:
Twill the monsieurs not search their
pockets and see if they have been
truly robbed2' They do 20. The one
who has had o watch finds the pock-
et-book OF the other in his tail pocket.
The pocketbook man finds gold
watch in his trowsers pocket, while a
diamond pin which the third man has
lost is neatly pinned In the lapel of
the worthy policeman. Once more,
speaking politely, l say, Hold on. l
too have something lost. and taking
of the hat OF the sergeant, show him,
underneath the lining roll OF green
backs. They say no word, and /,
bowing politely once more, leave the
station house."
For the next ten minutes Hermann
turned the gathering into a private
seance and exhibited in rapid success
sion some really astonishing sleght Of
hand tricks. One of the party WAS
rolling cigarette, "Give me Gig
arctic paper" said Hermann. The
little book Of cigarette papers was
handed him; he took one out and be-
gan deliberately tearing the slip Of
tissue paper into eight or ten small
pieces. These he folded together once
or twice and then passed them to
one OF the party. 'Roll 1t tight, :"
said he, "between your finger and
| thumb" The request was complied
with. and q little ball OF paper the
size OF a pea was the result Of the pro-
cess. "unroll that" said Hermann,
"but mind you do not drop the pieces
to the floor" The little bali was
carefully unrolled and found to be the
exact size and make OF that taken
from the book and torn up by the
coniurer. As thesubject gazed blank
ly at this astonishing transtor-
nation, Hermann took it from
him and folded it in two once
more, and, giving it back, told him
again to roll It into small ball.
This was done, and when 1t was again
uniolded, half q dozen scraps OF torn
paper were all that remained. He
took a tobacco pouch from the smok-
or and with u quick upward move
ment threw 1t into the air, 1t was
gone. completely vanished, and, 1t
need hardly be said, was found in the
breast pocket OF an innocent on-look-
er. This is one of Hermann's clever
est deceptions, and one those present
said he had frequently seen him per.
form it with glass hall full
of wine. He took the same
tobacco pouch, and letting it
rest In the palm OF his hand, held his
hand well out from his body. He
then closed his white fingers upon 1t,
opened his hand again, and the pouch
was gone, to reappear In apgeon hole
OF the managers desk.
Coins changed from silver to gold, q
diamond ring mysteriously chang
from the finger OF one hand to
the finger OF the other without
an apparent movement, and all these
startling little tricks, depending, OF
course, upon pure sleieht OF hand,
We're accomplished by an amusing
chatter which served the double pur-
pose OF entertaining his friends and
attracting their attention at critical
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